Game apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

A. M. F0$TER.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB ilQ 1908.

T2 W @M ATTORNEYS 11-12 NORRIS PETERS co, WASHINGTON, o. c

ADDIE MAY FOSTER, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Application filed February 14, 1908. Serial No. 415,812.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADDIE MAY FosrER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Santa Barbara, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly to game apparatus in which common means for projecting and catching an object are provided.

More specifically, the invention relates to a game device in which a plurality of cups, each formed to receive an object, are connected by a flexible band which serves to project the object when the cups are separated so that the band is suddenly drawn taut, the band having a pocket to hold the object.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device which serves to afford amusement, entertainment and exercise, both to children and adults, and which can be'played by one or more persons.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game device by means of which an obj ect such as a ball can be projected or thrown into the air, and which has means for receiving or catching the ball, so that the practice of the game affords entertainment and exercise, and tends to develop agility, quickness of the eye, and gracefulness of motion of the operator.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the amusement device; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the device showing the cups separated, whereby the flexible band connecting them is stretched taut and serves to project the ball or other object.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I provide frames 10 having grips or handles 11, and forks or bifurcations 12. The frames may be fashioned from any suitable material, such as wood, metal or the like, and may be ornamented in any desired both hands.

manner. For example, the frames may be fashioned to represent human figures, such for instance, as female basket-ball players, holding the cups or baskets by means of their outstretched arms. The frames may be fashioned to represent other forms, which may be of amusing or artistic design.

To the forks or bifurcations of each of the frames 10 is secured a cup or receptacle 13, which may be fashioned from any suitable material, such as metal, a stiff fabric or the like. The cups extend outwardly at one side of the frame and have flat sides 14 between the forks or bifurcations 12. The flat sides of the cups, at their upper edges, are connected by a strip of flexible material 15, consisting of a fabric such as canvas, rubber, or any other material adapted for the purpose. The flexible strip, near the center, has an opening 16, at the under side of which is arranged a pocket 17 having flanges 18, sewed or otherwise secured to the strip around the opening. The pocket may be fashioned from leather or any other material suited thereto. The pocket is adapted to receive the object, which may bea rubber ball 19, or any other device which can be suitably proj ected and caught in the cups 13.

The player, in laying with this game device, holds in each hand, one of the handles 11, and thus manipulates the device with The object 19 is placed in the pocket 17 and the cups are then sharply separated by the player, who thus draws the strip 15 taut. Before this is done however, the cups are held close together, so that the strip is fairly slack, and consequently, the sharp separation of the cups projects the ob ject to a greater or less height in the air. The player then endeavors to catch the obj ect on its return, in one of the cups 13.

When more than one player is engaged in this game, the methods can be varied so that, for example, the object is thrown from one player to another and returned.

It will be understood that various rules can be devised to render the playing of the game more varied, and to increase its sphere of utility and entertainment.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A game apparatus, comprising relatively movable cups, and means connecting said cups and actuated by a movement of said cups relatively to one another, for projecting an object, said cups being formed to receive the object.

2. A game apparatus, comprising relatively movable cups, and means between said cups and operable by a movement to separate said cups, for projecting an object, each of said cups being formed to receive and hold the object.

3. A game apparatus, com rising relatively movable cups, and flexibl connecting means between said cups, said connecting means being adapted to hold an object whereby the object is Iprojected when said cups are separated to rawsaid connectin means taut, each of said cups being forme to receive and hold the object.

4. A game a paratus, comprising frames one adapted to ge held in each hand and each having a cup, each of said cups having a flat side, and a strip of flexible material connecting said cups at said flat sides, said strip hav- I ing a ocket formed to receive an object, each 0 said cups being formed to receive and hold an object.

5. A game a paratus, comprising frames, each having a fiandle, and at an end of the handle a fork, a cup secured at each of said frames at said fork and having a flat side between the arms of said fork, and a strip of flexible material connecting said cups at said fiat sides, said strips having an opening intermediate said cups, and a pocket within said opening, said pocket being formed to receive an object, each of said cups being formed to receive and hold an object.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADDIE MAY FOSTER.

Witnesses:

JESSIE M. HoY'r, WM. G. GRIFFITH. 

